Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho stormed
Nyali police station on Monday
to demand the release of
seven city askaris.
The seven were arrested earlier today and Joho said the circumstances were unclear.
Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho at Nyali police station where he demanded the release of seven inspectorate officers, September 25, 2017. /ELKANA JACOB
The Governor accused police in the county of illegally protecting grabbers of public property, saying the
inspectorate officers had gone to stop "illegal construction" on public property.
But some officers at the station claimed
Joho ordered an invasion of
the property.
Joho, who has promised to defend the rights of his people, said it is unfortunate that the
regional commander ordered the arrest of the askaris.
He noted they acted on direct orders from their seniors in his administration to stop the illegal construction of a wall.
"The said piece of land was approved by National Land Commission
as an access route to the beach. Why is it that police are indulging in land disputes?
This leaves us with more questions than answers," he told officers outside the station after he was released.
"They were arrested and detained at this police station on orders from above.
Since when do police officers handle land disputes?"
Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho at Nyali police station where he demanded the release of seven inspectorate officers, September 25, 2017. /ELKANA JACOB
Joho noted the NLC declared the land a
public access road to the beach in a letter in August 2016.
"There is communication from the commission informing us this land was illegally grabbed...Our officers were simply enforcing the orders of ensuring the land is protected," he said.
He demanded to know why the seven had not been taken to court since their arrest at about 8am.
"It is now about 11am. Why have they not taken them to court?"
'POLICE ENGAGING IN ILLEGAL ACTS'
The county boss accused senior Mombasa police of
supervising illegal construction of walls in the region following "orders from above".
He said he will move to court to seek a determination on the line of enforcement between the national and county governments.
"I will be moving to court to seek interpretation of the law on the mandate of the county government. Police cannot forcefully take our mandate. They cannot simply try to stop our officers from enforcing their orders."
The land near Nyali beach resort over which Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho said seven city askaris were arrested on September 25, 2017. /EKNANA JACOB
Last year, Joho managed to stop the construction of a perimeter wall on a piece of land owned by Kenya Broadcasting Corporation at VOK area in Nyali constituency.
Both the county government and KBC claim ownership of the land.
Between 2014 and 2015, the Mombasa government tried in vain to stop the construction of a wall around property in Dunga Unuse in Changamwe.
Squatters on that piece of land were evacuated under the watch of dozens of APs as workers constructed the wall.
The land near Nyali beach resort over which Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho said seven city askaris were arrested on September 25, 2017. /EKNANA JACOB
In January,
Joho was detained at Mombasa CID headquarters after visiting a relative who had been arrested by police.
County director of communications Richard Chacha
said the relative Joho visited was arrested when officers raided and ransacked his home, amid a security withdrawal saga.
"The officers told him he also had to stay at the police station," Chacha said, adding there was no further communication.
Sources said the Governor went to find out why his relative, only identified as Haroub, was arrested but refused to leave.
He was allegedly detained for causing a disturbance.
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